COLLABORATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080147810A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Grouptivity Co.
• Inventors: Logan, Martin, Kumar, Ankesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A collaboration system and method are provided. In the collaboration system, a collaborative web service is provided that mimics the simplicity of email and the collaboration system can be integrated into other databases.

Claims

1. A collaboration system, comprising:

an Appmail unit;

one or more user computing devices, each user computing device having a processing unit with a browser application being executed by the processing unit and being capable of being connected to the Appmail unit over a network; and

the Appmail unit including an Appmail engine having a discussion thread collaboration tool and email system that, in response to a user request for a new discussion thread for a piece of content, generates a discussion thread collaboration email message with the piece of content wherein the discussion thread collaboration email message is sent by an originator to one or more recipients each using one of the user computing devices so that the discussion thread collaboration email message with the piece of content is displayed in the browser of the user computing devices of the one or more recipients so that the originator and the one or more recipients can discuss the piece of content.

2. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the browser of a particular user computing device displays a discussion thread collaboration tool and email system toolbar having a discuss content button that allows a user of the particular user computing device to discuss a piece of content using the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

3. The collaboration system of claim 2, wherein the browser of a particular user computing device, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, displays a compose new discussion thread collaboration email message wherein an email address for the one or more recipients are provided to the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

4. The collaboration system of claim 3, wherein the browser of a particular user computing device, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, allows a personal note for the new discussion thread collaboration email message to be provided to the one or more recipients.

5. The collaboration system of claim 1 further comprising a third party system having a piece of content wherein the piece of content incorporates a discussion thread collaboration tool and email system button to initiate a new discussion thread collaboration email message for the piece of content.

6. The collaboration system of claim 3, wherein the browser of a particular user computing device, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, allows the user of the particular user computing device to add one or more questions into the new discussion thread collaboration email message for the piece of content.

7. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the Appmail unit further comprises an address book for each user of the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

8. The collaboration system of claim 7, wherein the address book further comprises one or more groups of users in the address book.

9. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the browser of a particular user computing device generates a display that allows the user to register with the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system and generate a new discussion thread collaboration email message for the piece of content.

10. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the browser of a particular user computing device for a particular recipient generates a display to add a new piece of content to the discussion thread collaboration email message.

11. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system allows a user of the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system to post a piece of content in the discussion thread collaboration email message to a third party unit.

12. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system provides a private discussion thread collaboration using a discussion thread collaboration email message.

13. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system generates a public record for the piece of content in the discussion thread collaboration email message.

14. The collaboration system of claim 13, further comprising one or more search engines integrated with the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system wherein the public record is shared with the one or more search engines.

15. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the piece of content further comprises one of a webpage, an article and an image.

16. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein each user computing device further comprises one of a wireless email device, a cellular phone, a mobile phone, a personal computer and a laptop computer.

17. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the network further comprises one of a wired network and a wireless network.

18. A computer implemented collaboration method using an Appmail unit and one or more user computing devices, each user computing device having a processing unit with a browser application being executed by the processing unit and being capable of being connected to the Appmail unit over a network, the method comprising:

generating, in response to a user request for a new discussion thread for a piece of content using a discussion thread collaboration tool and email system, a discussion thread collaboration email message with the piece of content;

distributing, from an originator, the discussion thread collaboration email message to one or more recipients each using one of the user computing devices; and

displaying the discussion thread collaboration email message with the piece of content in the browser of the user computing devices of the one or more recipients so that the originator and the one or more recipients can discuss the piece of content.

19. The collaboration method of claim 18 further comprising displaying, in the browser of a particular user computing device, a discussion thread collaboration tool and email system toolbar having a discuss content button that allows a user of the particular user computing device to discuss a piece of content using the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

20. The collaboration method of claim 19 further comprising displaying, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, a compose new discussion thread collaboration email message wherein an email address for the one or more recipients are provided to the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

21. The collaboration method of claim 20 further comprising allowing, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, a personal note for the new discussion thread collaboration email message to be provided to the one or more recipients.

22. The collaboration method of claim 18 further comprising providing a discussion thread collaboration tool and email system button in a piece of content on a third party system to initiate a new discussion thread collaboration email message for the piece of content.

23. The collaboration method of claim 20 further comprising allowing, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, the user of the particular user computing device to add one or more questions into the new discussion thread collaboration email message for the piece of content.

24. The collaboration method of claim 18 further comprising allowing a user to register with the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system and generate a new discussion thread collaboration email message for the piece of content.

25. The collaboration method of claim 18 further comprising allowing a user of the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system to post a piece of content in the discussion thread collaboration email message to a third party unit.

26. The collaboration method of claim 18 further comprising providing a private discussion thread collaboration using a discussion thread collaboration email message.

27. The collaboration method of claim 18 further comprising generating a public record for the piece of content in the discussion thread collaboration email message.

28. The collaboration method of claim 27 further comprising integrating one or more search engines with the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system wherein the public record is shared with the one or more search engines.

29. The collaboration method of claim 18, wherein the piece of content further comprises one of a webpage, an article and an image.